Chrysanthemum plant named `Dark Veria`

ABSTRACT

A distinct cultivar of Chrysanthemum plant named `Dark Veria`, characterized by its spherical and mounded plant habit; high vigor and moderate growth rate; decorative-type inflorescences with slight open center; bright yellow ray florets; numerous inflorescences per plant; and good garden performance.

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of gardenChrysanthemum plant, botanically known as Dendranthema grandifiora andreferred to by the cultivar name Dark Veria.

The new cultivar is a product of a planned breeding program conducted bythe inventor in Staden, Belgium. The objective of the breeding programwas to create new garden Chrysanthemum cultivars that are freelybranching and have numerous and long-lasting inflorescences.

The new cultivar originated from a cross made by the inventor in 1988 ofthe nonpatented cultivar Veria as the female, or seed, parent with thenonpatented cultivar Quitpolin as the male, or pollen, parent.

The new Chrysanthemum was discovered and selected by the inventor as aflowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross in a controlledenvironment in Staden, Belgium.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal cuttings taken atStaden, Belgium, has shown that the unique features of this newChrysanthemum are stable and reproduced true to type in successivegenerations.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of `Dark Veria`. These characteristics incombination distinguish `Dark Veria` as a new and distinct cultivar:

1. Spherical and mounded plant habit, vigorous, moderate growth rate,and freely branching.

2. Decorative-type inflorescences with slight open center.

3. Bright yellow ray florets.

4. Numerous inflorescences per plant.

5. Good garden performance.

The cultivar Dark Veria has not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature, daylength and lightintensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

In side-by-side comparisons in Staden, Belgium, under commercialpractice, plants of the new Chrysanthemum differ from plants of thefemale parent, the cultivar Veria, in ray floret color and vigor. In thesame comparisons, plants of the new Chrysanthemum differ from the maleparent, the cultivar Quitpolin, in ray floret color, foliage color,inflorescence size and vigor.

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum can be compared to the cultivar YellowTriumph (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 7,955). However, in side-by-sidecomparisons conducted in Oxnard, Calif., under commercial practice,plants of the new Chrysanthemum differed from plants of the cultivarYellow Triumph in the following characteristics:

1. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum are dense and spherical whereasplants of the cultivar Yellow Triumph are more open and not spherical.

2. Leaves of plants of the new Chrysanthemum have deeper sinuses andmore pointed lobes compared to leaves of plants of the cultivar YellowTriumph.

3. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum are more vigorous than plants of thecultivar Yellow Triumph.

4. Inflorescences of plants of the new Chrysanthemum are smaller butmore numerous than inflorescences of plants of the cultivar YellowTriumph.

5. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum have weaker and shorter pedunclesthan plants of the cultivar Yellow Triumph.

A detailed comparison of plants of the new Chrysanthemum and thecultivar Yellow Triumph appears in Chart A at the end of thespecification.

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type.

The first photograph comprises a side perspective view of a typicalflowering 16.5-cm container of `Dark Veria` with five cuttings in thecontainer.

The second photograph comprises a close-up view of five leaves atdifferent stages of development and a fully opened inflorescence.Foliage and floret colors in the photographs may appear different fromthe actual colors due to light reflectance.

In the following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart except where general terms ofordinary dictionary significance are used. The following observationsand measurements describe plants grown in Oxnard, Calif., undercommercial practice in a glass-covered greenhouse with nighttemperatures ranging between 14 and 20C., day temperatures rangingbetween 20 and 30C., and average light levels of 5,000 to 6,000footcandles.

After sticking unrooted cuttings of the new cultivar, plants received 4weeks of long day/short nights followed by short day/long nights untilflowering. Measurements and numerical values represent ranges oraverages for six typical flowering plants.

Botanical classification: Dendranthema grandiflora cultivar Dark Veria.

Commercial classification: Garden chrysanthemum.

Parentage:

Female, or seed, parent.--Dendranthema grandiflora cultivar Veria (notpatented).

Male, or pollen, parent.--Dendranthema grandiflora cultivar Quitpolin(not patented).

Propagation:

Type.--Terminal tip cuttings.

Time to rooting.--10 to 12 days with soil temperatures of 20C.

Rooting habit.--Fine, fibrous and well-branched.

Plant description:

Appearance.--Perennial herbaceous garden plant. Spherical and roundedgrowth habit. Moderate growth rate, vigorous and freely branching.

Plant height.--About 17 cm.

Lateral branch length.--About 13 cm.

Quantity of lateral branches after removal of apical meristem.--About 4to 6.

Stem color.-143C.

Foliage description.--Number of leaves per plant: About 72. Number ofleaves per lateral branch: About 12. Leaf arrangement: Alternate. Leafsize, fully expanded: Length: About 4.5 cm.--Width: About 3.4 cm. Leafapex: Pointed, apiculate. Leaf base: Attenuate. Leaf margin: Palmatelylobed with deep sinuses and pointed lobes. Leaf texture: Abaxial andadaxial surfaces slightly pubescent, smooth and dull. Veins prominent onabaxial surface. Petiole length: About 1.75 cm. Color: Young foliageadaxial surface: 146B. Young foliage abaxial surface: 147C. Fullyexpanded foliage adaxial surface: 147A. Fully expanded foliage abaxialsurface: 147B. Venation adaxial surface: 147C. Venation abaxial surface:147B. Petiole: 147C.

Inflorescence description:

Appearance.--Decorative-type inflorescence form with slight open center.Inflorescences borne on terminals above foliage, arising from leafaxils. Disc and ray florets arranged acropetally on a flat capitulum.

Flowering response.--Under natural conditions, plants flower in theautumn. Inflorescence initiation and development can be induced undershort day/long night conditions (at least 13.5 hours of darkness).Plants exposed to 3 or 4 weeks of long day/short night conditions aftersticking followed by photoinductive short day/long night conditions,flower about 49 days later. Inflorescences maintain good substance forthree weeks under bright natural daylight.

Quantity of inflorescences.--About 5 to 7 inflorescences per floweringstem.

Inflorescence size.--Diameter: About 3.8 cm. Depth (height): About 1.4cm. Diameter of disc: About 5 mm.

Opening inflorescences.--Bud shape: Spherical. Bud size: Length: About 7mm. Width: About 6 mm. Bud color: 6A.

Ray florets.--Shape: Obovate. -- Size: Length: About 1.7 cm. Width:About 7.5 mm. Apex: Blunt, tri- or quad-dentate. Base: Acute. Margin:Entire. Texture: Matte, smooth and glabrous. Aspect: Slightly upright.Number of ray florets per inflorescence: About 88. Color: When opening,adaxial surface: 9A. When opening, abaxial surface: 9C. Mature, adaxialsurface: 9C. Mature, abaxial surface: 9D. Fading to: 10B.

Disc florets.--Shape: Tubular. Size: Length: About 4 mm. Width: About 1mm.--Number of disc florets per inflorescence: About 32. Color:Immature: 154D. Mature: 154C.

Peduncle.--Aspect: Adequate, but somewhat weak, angled about 45° to thestem. Length: First peduncle: About 2 cm. Fourth peduncle: About 3.6 cm.Texture: Pubescent. Color: 138B.

Reproductive organs.--Androecium: Present on disc florets only. Anthercolor: 12A. Pollen: Moderate, 12A in color. Gynoecium: Present on bothray and disc florets. Style color: 154C.

Disease resistance: No known Chrysanthemum diseases observed to date onplants grown under commercial greenhouse conditions.

Seed production: Seed production has not been observed.

                  CHART A                                                         ______________________________________                                        CHARACTERISTIC                                                                              `DARK VERIA`                                                                              `YELLOW TRIUMPH`                                    ______________________________________                                        PLANT SHAPE   Spherical,  Mounding                                                          rounded                                                         GROWTH HABIT  Short       Medium to short                                     GROWTH RATE/VIGOR                                                                           Moderate/   Moderate/moderate                                                 vigorous                                                        PLANT HEIGHT  About 17 cm About 19 cm                                         LATERAL STEM  About 13 cm About 14 cm                                         LENGTH                                                                        QUANTITY OF   About 4 to 6                                                                              About 3 to 4                                        LATERAL BRANCHES                                                              AFTER PINCHING                                                                STEM COLOR    143C        146B                                                QUANTITY OF LEAVES                                                                          About 12    About 15                                            PER LATERAL BRANCH                                                            LEAF LENGTH   About 4.5 cm                                                                              About 5.3 cm                                        LEAF WIDTH    About 3.4 cm                                                                              About 3.8 cm                                        PETIOLE LENGTH                                                                              About 1.75 cm                                                                             About 2 cm                                          FOLIAGE LOCATION                                                                            Deep sinuses and                                                                          Not as deeply lobed                                               pointed lobes                                                   QUANTITY OF   About 5 to 7                                                                              About 4 to 6                                        INFLORESCENCES PER                                                            LATERAL STEM                                                                  INFLORESCENCE FORM                                                                          Decorative with                                                                           Decorative, does not                                              slight open center                                                                        form open center until                                                        inflorescences are older                            INFLORESCENCE About 3.8 cm                                                                              About 5 cm                                          DIAMETER                                                                      INFLORESCENCE About 1.4 cm                                                                              About 1.6 cm                                        HEIGHT                                                                        BUD COLOR     6A          7B                                                  RAY FLORET SHAPE                                                                            Obovate     Spatulate                                           RAY FLORET TEXTURE                                                                          Matte       Velvety                                             RAY FLORET LENGTH                                                                           About 1.7 cm                                                                              About 2.3 cm                                        RAY FLORET WIDTH                                                                            About 7.5 cm                                                                              About 7 mm                                          RAY FLORET COLOR,                                                                           9A          9A                                                  WHEN OPENING,                                                                 ADAXIAL                                                                       RAY FLORET COLOR,                                                                           9C          9B                                                  WHEN OPENING,                                                                 ABAXIAL                                                                       RAY FLORET COLOR,                                                                           9C          7B                                                  MATURE, ADAXIAL                                                               RAY FLORET COLOR,                                                                           9D          7D                                                  MATURE, ABAXIAL                                                               RAY FLORET COLOR                                                                            10B         7B                                                  FADING TO                                                                     NUMBER OF RAY About 88    About 118                                           FLORETS PER                                                                   INFLORESCENCE                                                                 DISC FLORET COLOR,                                                                          154D        154C                                                IMMATURE                                                                      DISC FLORET COLOR,                                                                          154C        154C                                                MATURE                                                                        NUMBER OF DISC                                                                              About 32    About 18                                            FLORETS PER                                                                   INFLORESCENCE                                                                 PEDUNCLE STRENGTH                                                                           Moderate    Strong                                              PEDUNCLE ANGLE                                                                              About 45°                                                                          About 30 to 35°                              PEDUNCLE LENGTH,                                                                            About 2 cm  About 4.2 cm                                        FIRST                                                                         PEDUNCLE LENGTH,                                                                            About 3.6 cm                                                                              About 5 cm                                          FOURTH                                                                        PEDUNCLE COLOR                                                                              138B        146B                                                ANTHER COLOR  12A         14A                                                 POLLEN COLOR  12A         14A                                                 ______________________________________                                    

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Chrysanthemum plantnamed `Dark Veria`, as illustrated and described.